Too Popular
by TheShatteredRose
Summary: Juushiro isn't feeling well. Shunsui thinks this could be a good time to admit his feelings as they're alone. However, their other friends get in the way. ::Hinted ShunUki, Academy Setting::


**Title:** Too Popular

**Summary:** Juushiro isn't feeling well. Shunsui thinks this could be a good time to admit his feelings. However, their other friends get in the way.

**Pairings:** Hinted Shunsui/Juushiro

**Warnings:** Academy Setting

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of this series and am making no profit whatsoever

**AN:** Um, yeah…I kinda like the thought of Ukitake being fussed over by his friends when he's sick, whom of which aren't exactly subtle about it. Don't think too much of it as I'm trying to ward off writer's block. Just enjoy!

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Shunsui carefully brewed the tea like he had been shown by Retsu, ensuring that the herbal leaves were deeply immersed so that their healing properties would be far more effective. He also made sure that the boiled water was not too hot, not wanting to cause precious Juu-chan any more pain.

He managed to cover a sympathetic wince behind a lop-sided grin when he heard the familiar, yet still so harsh, coughing that easily resonated around their shared dorm room. Despite being roommates ever since they entered the Soul Reapers Academy at the same time, Shunsui still wasn't used to hearing the jagged, painful coughs coming from someone so gentle.

"Here we are, Juu-chan," Shunsui drawled as he poured the medical tea into a cup and carried it over to the bed where Juushiro was sitting up, his blankets folded on his lap, a thin coat hanging around his shoulders.

Pulling the thankfully blood-free cloth from his mouth, Juushiro smiled softly and swallowed thickly. He folded the cloth neatly and placed it to the side before he reached out with his pale hands, taking the warm tea that was being offered.

Their fingers brushed together for a moment before Shusnui released his hold, only after ensuring Juushiro's own hold was steady.

"Thank you, Shunsui," he said, his voice soft as if speaking caused some pain.

Wordlessly, Shunsui sat on the edge of Juushiro's bed, close to his side to offer any assistance if needed. He watched with a lazy, yet critical gaze as Juushiro lifted the tea to his lips and sip slowly, humming softly when the warm liquid eased the pain in his throat.

So cute.

Shunsui tenderly curled a strand of Juushiro's hair behind his ear, his fingers brushing along the flushed skin of his cheek so gently, so lovingly, that Juushiro smiled that shy, yet so beautiful smile of his.

"You're attentive as always, Shun," Juushiro said, a soft laugh passing his lips. His voice wasn't as scratchy as it was before, so the tea was indeed helping him.

Of course he was attentive. He's always been attentive. How could he not be? How could he not pay attention to such natural beauty? Ah, how he wanted to say such words to Juushiro, whisper them lovingly into his ear. But Shunsui couldn't tell Juushiro how his feelings for him had grown far stronger than partners and friends. He used words every day, telling beautiful women how precious and lovely they were. Juushiro would just brush him off, assuming that he was just being his oh-so charming self.

So innocent, he was.

There were times where words were needed. And there were times where they weren't. For some, a soft word was enough. For others, they needed to be shown. And Juushiro was one of those people.

Today was the day he was going to show Juu-chan how deep his feelings really went. This last coughing fit had frightened him. He didn't want anything to happen to Juushiro without at least letting him know. What happened after that was entirely up to Juushiro.

"Shunsui?" Juushiro whispered softly with a mild sense of concern in his voice and shimmering in his eyes. He leaned forward impeccably, his light pink lips parted so perfectly. "Is something wrong?"

So sensual.

Slowly, Shunsui lifted his hands and placed them over Juushiro's slender hands. He leaned forward, bringing their faces closer and closer together. Shunsui's eyes slowly drifted closed, but not before witnessing Juushiro's own eyes flutter close, a light dusting of red spreading across the bridge of his nose.

"Hey, Ukki-chan~!"

Reeling his head back and snapping his eyes open in shock, Shunsui abruptly turned his head to the window near Juushiro's bed. Immediately he spied their friend and classmate Yoruichi hanging upside-down outside the window. Her golden eyes were filled with mirth (as usual), a cattish grin on her lips.

"I heard you weren't feeling well," she purred as she dropped effortlessly into the room, perching herself on the corner of Juushiro's bed. "I got you some of your favourite candy to make you feel better."

"Oh, Yoruichi," Juushiro said, slightly surprised, yet irritatingly unfazed by her appearance. "How kind of you."

Shunsui felt his right eye twitch. Kind?

"We are a little busy here, Yoruichi," Shunsui uttered through gritted teeth, his smile strained and terse.

"Busy with what?" Yoruichi asked, all but purring the words.

Shunsui felt himself twitch again, but he hid most of his displeasure behind a carefree grin. A grin that most certainly did not reach his eyes. Yoruichi continued to leer at him, one eyebrow arched in a suggestive manner.

So annoying...

Before Shunsui could give the feline-like woman a retort, he noticed something, like a black dot in the clear blue sky from the corner of his eye. He turned his head to get a proper look and soon realised that the dot was getting bigger. Before he could become remotely startled, a blur of white and blue unexpectedly burst into the room in a flurry of movement through the window. Had the window been closed, this...intruder would have broken the glass in a dramatic entrance. The blur rolled across the floor in a defensive ball.

Suddenly, it unfurled, revealing the form of a human with spiky black hair, one that left skid marks on the floor as he skidded to a halt. With one hand on the floor, aided in the slowing of his momentum, a knapsack was seen under his other arm.

"Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuushiro!"

Another irritated tick appeared under Shunsui's eye when he easily recognised the loud, booming voice.

"Ah, Isshin?" Juushiro asked, his head cutely tilted to the side. Again he seemed slightly surprised, but not startled.

"I heard that our precious Juushiro wasn't feeling well!" Isshin announced with a large, toothy grin. "So I made you some soup and stew to make you feel better."

"Oh, you didn't have to go through so much trouble," Juushiro immediately said, blushing lightly but sounding appreciative nonetheless.

"Yes, trouble," Shunsui muttered under his breath when Isshin began to blatantly fuss over Juushiro. He even went as far as to bump Shunsui out of the way.

So irritating...

Just as Shunsui turned to give Isshin an earful for disturbing Juushiro's quiet time, there was small explosion from the wall behind Juushiro's bed, sending a cloud of debris into the air, ruffling everyone's hair rather violently. It wasn't a loud explosion, nor was it very big. But it was big enough to leave a gaping hole in the wall.

Four equally stunned expressions turned to look at the hole, which appeared big enough for someone to stick their heads through.

And that's what someone did. A mop of blond hair shadowing a pair of shifty eyes popped through the hole.

"Neko-Ukki~!"

"Kisuke?" Juushiro stuttered, this time equally surprised and shocked.

"I heard you weren't feeling well," Kisuke grin through the hole, his hands curling around the edges. For some reason, it reminded Shunsui of a demonic entity trying to escape from its prison. "So I brought you something to make you feel better."

"….That's very nice of you, Kisuke."

So...so...so damn troublesome!

...Why did Juu-chan have to be so popular?

Sure, they meant well. But…No, Juu-chan was his to fuss over!

"Right!" Shunsui quickly snapped, now allowing his irritation to be revealed. He marched over to the wall, planting his hand in the middle of Kisuke's face and forcing his head back through the wall. He wasn't sure how he was going to repair this wall, but it was going to be filled in, one way or another.

"I think that is enough visitors for today," he continued, hastily clogging the hall with a few random scrolls and books, expertly ignoring Kisuke's wails from the other side. "It's time for Juushiro to get some rest."

"But I just got here," Isshin whined, pouting childishly.

Slowly, almost demonically, Shunsui turned to look at him. "Did I stutter?"

He didn't bother waiting for an answer. He stalked over to the bed, more than willing to manhandle the two into leaving. What followed, though, was fifteen minutes of struggling. Not the kind where they were on the verge of fighting, mainly because Juushiro was sitting in the middle of it. But enough struggling that Shunsui felt that he was dealing with a difficult cat and a disobedient dog.

Finally, he was able to force the two outside, through the window. He immediately slammed it shut before either of the two could sneak back in, roughly drawing the curtains when they peered up at him through the glass.

Shunsui sucked in a deep breath of air. His expression was uncharacteristically irritated, his eyes still twitching uncontrollably. It was normally incredibly hard to get under Shunsui's skin. His only weakness was Juushiro, of course.

And his protectiveness of him.

"…Um," Juushiro fidgeted, his fingers playing with the edge of his bedsheets. "Thank you for that, Shunsui."

Shunsui blinked and turned to look at him.

"I don't really like being fussed over. But it's ok if Shunsui does," Juushiro admitted, looking down at his lap as a light dusting of pink flittered across his cheeks. "I like being alone with Shunsui."

Shunsui immediately began to coo over him.

So adorable!

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**AN:** Please review~


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